Will Catholics Be Left Behind

Will Catholics Be Left Behind
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Will Catholics Be Left Behind: A Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers (Modern Apologetics Library)

Description of Will Catholics Be Left Behind:

An exhaustive Catholic critique of premillennial dispensationalism, the "pretrib rapture," the Left Behind phenomenon, and Fundamentalist eschatology, written by a former Fundamentalist/dispensationalist. Examines the historical, biblical, and theological roots of the "left behind" theology and the belief in a rapture event separate from the Second Coming. Also contains chapters on the Book of Revelation, the millennial kingdom, and Catholic eschatology.

Information on Will Catholics Be Left Behind from the publisher:

This book is a thorough, Catholic critique of the popular Fundamentalist belief in the "Rapture" - the belief that Christians will be removed from earth prior to a time of Tribulation and the Second Coming. It examines the theological, historical, and Biblical basis for the "Rapture" by carefully examining "premillennial dispensationalism", the belief system in the Left Behind books and propagated by such Biblical prophecy writers as Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey. Written for both the lay person and the serious student, this book combines an engaging, popular approach with detailed footnotes and exhaustive research. Beginning with the big picture, it focuses first on key concepts such as eschatology, the Parousa, "end times", the Kingdom, and the Church. Olson then shows how Fundamentalist author and Left Behind creator LaHaye's many works on "Bible prophecy" are filled with attacks on Catholicism and numerous misconceptions.

About Carl E. Olson:

Carl E. Olson is the editor of Envoy Magazine. Carl grew up in a devout Fundamentalist Protestant home in western Montana. After a couple years of art school, he attended Briercrest Bible College, an Evangelical Protestant college in Saskatchewan, Canada, graduating with an associate’s degree in 1991. Carl's wife Heather is a graduate of Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon. They married in 1994 and entered the Catholic Church together in 1997. Their story appears in Surprised By Truth 3 (Sophia Press, 2002). In May 2000 Carl graduated from the University of Dallas with a Masters in Theological Studies. Prior to joining the staff at Envoy, he was the director of catechesis and evangelization for Nativity of the Mother of God, a Byzantine Catholic parish in Springfield, Oregon. He has written articles for Envoy, This Rock, The Catholic Faith, Catholic Parent, Gilbert!, First Things, Saint Austin Review, New Covenant, National Catholic Register, and CatholicExchange.com. He has been a guest on Catholic Answers Live!, Kresta in the Afternoon, and EWTN's The Journey Home, "The Abundant Life," and "Threshold of Hope." Carl has written several articles about the Left Behind books and the Fundamentalist belief in the "Rapture." His book critiquing the Left Behind phenomenon and premillennial dispensationalism, titled Will Catholics Be Left Behind? A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today's Prophecy Preachers, is now available from Ignatius Press. It has been described as "extraordinary" by novelist Michael O'Brien, and "wonderful" by EWTN's Fr. Mitch Pacwa. Carl and Heather have one daughter, Felicity, and live in western Oregon. In his spare time, Carl enjoys spending time with his family, collecting music, reading, playing basketball, and singing Swedish love ballads in a sweet falsetto.

Description of Carl E. Olson, author of Will Catholics Be Left Behind:

A powerful and timely book, Will Catholics Be "Left Behind"? was authored by a former Fundamentalist and is a thorough critique of the popular Fundamentalist notion of the "Rapture" - the belief that Christians will be removed from earth prior to a time of Tribulation and the Second Coming. It examines the theological, historical, and Biblical basis for "premillennial dispensationalism", the belief system based around the Rapture, and popularized in the best-selling Left Behind books and taught by "Bible prophecy" writers Tim LaHaye, Hal Lindsey, Jack Van Impe, and many others. Written for both the lay person and the serious student, this book combines an engaging, popular approach with detailed footnotes and exhaustive research. Beginning with the big picture, it focuses first on key concepts such as eschatology, the Parousia, and the relationship between the Kingdom and the Church. It then examines the Book of Revelation, providing insights into the nature and purpose of that difficult, final book of the Bible. Another chapter looks at the concept of the "millennium" and how it has been understood by various Christians over the centuries. Olson then shows how Left Behind creator LaHaye's many works of "Bible prophecy" are filled with attacks on Catholicism, and often rely on sensationalism, shaky scholarship, and subjective interpretations of Scripture.